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DECEMBER 2020

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n the history of timepieces, few moments are more important than the creation of the world’s first Piezo timepiece. First released to the public in 1969, the watch turned the entire industry on its head, ushering in a new era of timekeeping. It’s this legacy that we’re honoring with the Timemaster Watch, available only through Stauer at a price only we can offer. Prior to Piezo watches, gravity-driven Swiss watches were the standard bearer of precision timekeeping. But all that changed when the first commercially available Piezo watch came onto the market. The result of ten years of research and development by some of the world’s top engineers, they discovered that when you squeeze a certain type of crystal, it generates a tiny electric current. And, if you pass electricity through the crystal, it vibrates at a precise frequency–exactly 32,768 times each second. When it came on the market, the Piezo watch was the most dependable timepiece available, accurate to 0.2 seconds per day. Today, it’s still considered a spectacular advance in electrical engineering. “[Piezo timepieces]...it would shake the Swiss watch industry to its very foundations.” —Foundation For Economic Education With the Timemaster we’ve set one of the world’s most important mechanical advances inside a decidedly masculine case. A handsome prodigy in rich leather and gold-finished stainless steel. The simplicity of the watch’s case belies an ornately detailed dial, which reflects the prestige of this timepiece. Call today to secure your own marvel of timekeeping history. Because we work directly with our own craftsman we’re able to offer the Timemaster at a fraction of the price that many Piezo watches cost. But a watch like this doesn’t come along every day. Call today before time runs out and they’re gone. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Spend some time with this engineering masterpiece for one month. If you’re not convinced you got excellence for less, simply send it back within 30 days for a refund of the item price. But we’re betting this timekeeping pioneer is a keeper.

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In The Sailfish Capital of the World By Nick Carter

apt. Scott Fawcett didn’t hesitate when asked to make a prediction about sailfish season off Florida’s Treasure Coast. His outlook is extremely bullish. “This is going to be one of the best sailfish seasons we’ve had in a long time,” he said. “By the middle of December, I think we’re going to see the best sailfishing we’ve had in the last 10 years.” Fawcett’s optimism is based on a number of factors he’s followed for more than three decades fishing Florida’s Atlantic Coast. December and January is the historic peak season from Vero south to Palm Beach, Fla. The bite is heavily influenced by winter fronts and the proximity of the Gulf Stream, and everyone is eagerly awaiting strong northeast winds to usher sailfish south to their wintering grounds and closer to shore. Closer to shore isn’t far out of Stuart, Fla., where Fawcett’s Off the Chain fishing charters is based. In an area known as the “Sailfish Capital of the World,” it’s typically a short 8-mile ride in his 4 NATIONAL

DECEMBER 2020

32’ Contender “Off The Chain” to reach the color edges and temperature breaks where sailfish hunt. In November, Fawcett’s attention was tuned to fishing reports some 600 miles to the north off the coast of North Carolina. “We had a phenomenal sailfish summer,” he said, speaking of the action that usually goes down from April to June or July most years. “It seems like that body of fish disappeared offshore for a while and then showed up off Morehead City. Last time that happened, we had a fantastic season. I expect to see good numbers of sailfish in December.” With the relatively flat bottom out of Stuart, blind trolling to cover water along the temperature breaks, color edges and reef lines is the preferred tactic. Fawcett pulls a dredge, an umbrella rig of some 30 or 40 baits and lures, to locate and draw in fish. “You’ll see them come up behind the teaser,” Fawcett said. “Then you’ll put your hook baits in front of the fish.”

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It’s up to the anglers to manipulate those “hook baits”—usually ballyhoo on a circle hook— in front of the fish. “On a good day, expect five or six sailfish bites and the same amount of dolphin bites and then some bonito or a big kingfish mixed in,” Fawcett said. “Occasionally, we’ll also get a blackfin or a big wahoo while trolling or kite fishing.” Kite fishing out of Stuart requires the right conditions. Sometimes when Fawcett finds a good current rip or color change, he’ll drop the trolling motor and deploy kites and live baits. Off The Chain’s center console allows 360 degrees of fishability, and when kites are flying, it’s worth dropping baits to the bottom, as well. While waiting on sailfish, anglers can fill the cooler with whatever’s in season. A mixed bag of snapper and grouper species is the norm. Check out Off the Chain at www.offthechainfishing. com. Call Capt. Scott Fawcett at 772-285-1055.

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Every Region

Has Its Season! J im Baugh Outdoors TV has had the pleasure of filming in most parts of the East Coast over the last 33 years. However, the bulk of our programming comes from the Mid-Atlantic region. The Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers, and all up and down the Outer Banks has been our mainstay of outdoor storytelling. Every region in the United States has a species of fish it is known for. From largemouth bass to white marlin, where you are determines what you catch. While our Mid-Atlantic states offer a large variety of species to fish for, one of the most popular fish—and one that the Chesapeake Bay area is renowned for—is rockfish. Also known as striped bass, these fish are widely sought after because they grow large, put up a decent fight and will make for one of the most delicious holiday meals one will ever have. ’Tis the season for rockfish! Our favorite rockfish has had its ups and downs over the years. In years past, there have been moratoriums, then come backs, then the fish seem to “disappear” by simply not coming into the bay, then everything seems to rebound again. These fish are pretty closely monitored,

By Jim Baugh

and I do hope all sportsmen will adhere to the regulations. These swings affect a lot of things like tourism dollars and fishing tournaments. One of the longest-running and best-run rockfish tournaments is the Rockfish Shootout, held at the Oyster Farm on Virginia’s Eastern Shore in December. If you are thinking about coming to our area, I highly suggest you try this tourney out. It is always a great event. If you are coming to the Chesapeake Bay and are new to rockfishing, here is some good advice. As always, contact local tackle shops to get the latest and current info. Hiring an experienced local charter is always a great idea and will introduce you to how the locals catch their fish. A tried-and-true method is live eeling, simply with a freeline or small sinker. Fish the channels and over the tunnels of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge or the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. These bridges have Years of rockfish TV Shows are available on Jim fantastic “light lines” in the water caused by Baugh Outdoors TV channels; season 33 is on the highway lights on the bridges. Get yourself both Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. some bucktails and soft-plastic shad and cast to If you want a great Christmas gift for your the pilings at night. Just be sure to fish the upfavorite outdoorsman, check out Jim Baugh’s current side of the bridge pilings. book “HOOKED,” which is available on Amazon.

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DECEMBER 2020 PUBLISHER: BOB RICE

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING FALL OFF THE LEDGE Contributed By: Jeff Durniak www.unicoioutfitters.com Unicoi Outfitters, Orvis 2018 Fly Shop of the Year

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Many trouters saunter up to the side of a pool and cast their offering to the top of it. They’re happy catching a few trout, but they don’t realize they’ve missed a bunch of fish, those hanging in the sweetest address in the whole pool: the “drop-off.” It’s the steep slope where the riffle transitions to pool. Drop-offs are often rock ledges, like we see on the Blue Ridge Tailwater and Toccoa, Hooch, Chattooga, and Amicalola Delayed Harvest (DH) stream reaches. In other areas, a drop-off may simply be the steep slide from a cobbled riffle into a sandy pool, like we see at the Smith Creek and Chattooga DH sections and the Dukes Creek trophy stream. Those anglers are casting right on top of fish, but by the time their baits have sunk to fish-eye level, they’ve missed that group of drop-off-loving trophies by six feet or more of downstream distance. Trout will hang on the bottom and put their chins right on that ledge, in that quiet water underneath the riffle’s turbulent surface flows. In that first few feet of deepening water, those fish have first dibs on all the groceries that are washing down from the adjacent “bug factory” (“Rabunite” for riffle). Plus, drop-off residents aren’t as picky as the midpool fish. Why? Due to faster flows, they have to make quicker decisions regarding potential groceries and often mistake lures and flies for the real thing. That puts the odds in YOUR favor. To nail those drop-off fish, think like a Bassmaster. Use a little bass jigging technique and fall off the ledge! Think of where that fish is sitting to be first in line for lunch. Then you

won’t aim your cast for the top of his head. Instead, you’ll aim several feet above him so your secret weapon will sink to his eye level when it hits the drop-off! Cast farther upstream, into the riffle, and use heavier offerings like tungsten beads or an extra split shot. Then your fly, lure, or bait will literally roll along the riffle bottom and fall off the ledge as the stream bottom suddenly “drops” into the very top of the pool. You’ll be fishing those prime, first few feet of pool that conservative casters have missed. Sure, you’ll hang up on the bottom a bit more often. When you do, just walk the bank upstream, get above the snag, and pull your line upstream toward you. Most of the time, you’ll unsnag from the cobbles. Then walk the bank back quietly downstream to your casting position and try another cast upstream into that riffle. Believe me, the costs of those bottom hang-ups are small compared to your extra trout “hung” at the drop-off. Give the drop-off technique a try. It works for our Unicoi Outfitters gang; maybe it will work for you, too. Here’s wishing you even more grip-n-grin moments when you fall off the ledge this season.

2 ATLANTA

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING DECEMBER FLY FISHING REPORT

Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com November of 20’ has been a much milder month than in years past. The stripers are up and down so fast and in fairly significant sized schools that it makes for some exciting but a little difficult fly fishing. Once this weather cools, the fish should transition into their December pattern. December can easily be one of the best months to fish for striped bass on the pond. The fish are chowing on threadfin shad, which means more surface feeding fish. The pattern of fish on the south end

should change as the fish will start pushing further north and away from the lower end of the lake. Fish can be spread out as they start searching for food in pockets and creeks. This means that you will need to use your binoculars to look deep into the backs of the creeks to find fish eating small threadfin shad in some fairly shallow water. The topwater bite will still continue into December, however where they feed on top will radically change. By mid-month, you can expect to see fish pushing bait

and feeding in between docks in the smaller creeks. Sometimes they might be at the mouth of the creek while other times they will be way in the back of the creek. This is the time of the year that we let the wildlife guide us to the fish. The obvious wildlife to look for are terns and gulls diving on bait being pushed to the top. Remember though that terns and gulls will not fly to the backs of the coves, so that is where your binoculars can be very relevant to finding surface feeding fish without having to motor all the into the backs of the coves. Anglers need to carry both an intermediate line for surfacing fish or fish running the banks as well as a sinking line for those big schools found on your fish finder. If you encounter that group, then using the countdown method will get your fly to the fish below. Most sinking lines will fall at a rate of 6 inches per second. So if you see fish at 15 feet below then a countdown of 30 seconds puts your fly in the feeding zone.

Small flies are still the ticket as the stripers are gorging on 1”- 1 ½” long threadfin shad. My Somethin’ Else pattern is still the best fly to use, but Gummy Minnows, small Game Changers or small Polar Fiber Minnows will work too. If you don’t get an eat if you encounter fish on or below the surface, then size up to a 3” Clouser as that will also work. Also remember to pause between your strips in order to allow the fly to free fall like a wounded shad. That is the money retrieve and may be the single most important technique you can use to trigger a bite! The dock light bite will be in full swing at this time of year too. If you are willing to wake up an hour earlier or stay out on the lake for 90 minutes after dark, YOU WILL BE REWARDED! These fish are easy to feed and can be found all over the lake. Wishing every one of our Angler Magazine readers a very Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah. Continue to stay safe and social distance. See you on the pond.

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Kevin Arculeo with a December caught striped bass from Lake Lanier

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DECEMBER 2020

ATLANTA 3

LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING DECEMBER FISHING ON THE FLY

Contributed by James Bradley Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764 The beauty of fall has now left us as well as the crowds on our streams. Old Man Winter is perhaps right around the corner. This should change your approach to trout fishing as they will no longer be feeding on the surface. Keep in mind that we cannot be careless about the clothing we wear, and always let someone know when you will return along with having some safety planning in place before the trip. Wintertime fishing requires us to fish differently. Be persistent in your fishing method. Slow down while fishing and cover the water. Look at the stream and divide it up into lanes as you look across it. Lanes should be a foot or less apart. Make your cast into each lane and allow your presentation to remain in that lane for the entire drift. Use smaller flies if you are not getting any takes. Remember, the least current is on the very bottom of the stream, and this is where the fish are. Use weight and long leaders if necessary to get that fly down to the fish. Pro tip: the larger the X size of the leader, the faster your fly will sink. Wintertime fishing is a nymphing game. Become a master at nymphing! Wintertime fishing requires us to dress properly. Most of the heat loss is through the head. Go with a solid cap, toboggan or beanie cap to prevent heat from escaping and try to keep those ears covered. Use thermals as a base layer. The midlayer or outer layer should be fleece or wool. Make sure your bottoms have stirrups or closures around the ankles as they will prevent the legs from riding up. Use a rain jacket as your outer garment. Most rain jackets are lightweight and breathable which make them very convenient. They help trap heat and create a wind barrier, which is a plus on a cold windy day. Your feet can be the hardest to keep warm. Do not use cotton socks. Sweaty feet get cold first and will stay cold if you use cotton. A thin pair of wicking socks helps draw the sweat away from your feet. Follow with a second pair of socks made from Merino wool. Keep a 4 ATLANTA

DECEMBER 2020

pair of Hot Hands close so you can put your hands on them to warm. Half-fingered wool gloves should help keep your hands comfortable. Be sure to carry a small hand towel with you to dry your hands after getting them wet! Safety is an important issue during the winter months. You can take your vehicle to most auto parts stores and have your battery tested for free. A battery being cold loses some of its amps for cranking. No one wants to walk out for help after a cold day on the water. Be sure to change the batteries in your flashlight and keep a lighter or waterproof matches with you. Always tell someone where you are going and when you’ll be back. The Delayed Harvest steams in our area have been producing very well. Keep in mind that these streams get hammered sometimes, and the trout get smart fast! If you find yourself not getting any takes, change flies. With higher water levels, use weight to get those flies down to the bottom. Most of these fish have been well educated since the start of the DH season so those reaction strikes to junk will slow down. Switch over and begin using flies that mimic the naturals as these are the ones that trout live on. Stoneflies, Prince Nymph, Pheasant Tail and Hare’s Ear are the common patterns that represent what the trout see and eat. Common sizes to have are 12 to 18 and have them with and without bead heads. If you are a beginner wanting to learn how to fly fish, we have a great staff of instructors who have been schooled in the art of fly fishing. One of the best ways to learn about fly fishing is to spend time with those of us who are professional full-time guides. Don’t forget to ask us about our float trips. Currently, we are doing floats on the Toccoa Tailwater and on the upper river as well. Give us a call to book your amazing trip on the water and don’t forget that we offer gift certificates! Reel Em In Guide Service is the only Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Outfitter in North Georgia’s Historic High-Country region. They have

been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001. They are one of the few permit holders for guiding/outfitting in North Georgia and North Carolina. Their service offers

over 7 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia and they operate drift boat trips on the Toccoa River in GA and the Tuckasegee River in NC.

THE CASTING CORNER THE UP CAST

Contributed By: Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer

There are a lot of ways to learn casting. There are many different terms to describe the parts of the cast. All the great fly casting instructors have a different way of saying the same thing. When I get to share what I’ve learned from the masters while teaching a class, I usually learn something from the students. See if this thought process sticks in your brain the way it did for them. We were doing a class with several veterans who were guests at Frog Hollow trophy trout stream as part of the nonprofit Veterans Fly Fishing Co. LLC. Several of the veterans were experienced fly fisherman. As we worked on making good loops and fine tuning the casts, the subject of the ‘back cast’ came up. We watched the back casts and talked about the rod tip stopping and launching the line. It’s hard to break a habit, and getting the correct trajectory was difficult for a few of the guys. After a while,

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they picked up on it, and the casts started to look great. The back cast sets up the forward cast. We had smiles as they saw the progress. At the end of the casting session, two of the guys came up to me and said the thing that made the difference for them was hearing the term, ‘up cast’, as a way to describe the back cast. The mental picture was what they needed to change the trajectory, close the casting arc and improve the shape of the loops. So now the term up cast will be in my quiver of terms. There are a lot of ways to describe the same thing. Tip: Stand in front of a large glass building or window and watch your back cast. If the rod leg of the line (the part of the line touching the rod tip and going to the beginning of the loop) is pointed down at the ground or even horizontal, think about the up cast and see if you can get it going upward.

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Contributed By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG www.oconeeonthefly.com I got a call about booking a last minute trip for Sunday, October 18th. I had set the day aside as it was the beginning of rifle season and told the gentleman, Greg, on the phone that I wasn’t available, but I’d be happy to connect him with another guide here on Lake Oconee. Greg went on to explain that he and his wife Sally were going to be staying at the Ritz for their anniversary. Then, holding back his emotions as well as he could, he explained that Sally has small cell cancer in her lungs and liver. She had never caught a hybrid bass before and really wanted to do so. Greg and Sally were absolutely delightful. I know she has been through so much with cancer treatment, and I just wanted to provide a day where she could have a great time and not think about anything but having fun and creating memories. The Good Lord blessed us that day with great fishing. Sally caught one after another, as did Greg, and I was so happy to help them create memories and just enjoy the moment. December Forecast Hybrids / Stripers – The birds will be chasing shad from the 44 bridge south to the dam. There are lots of opportunity for different presentations. When chasing birds, the spinning tackle setup I use is a medium spinning rod with 12-pound test. I like using the Sassy Shad 2½ inch in white on a 1/8-ounce, chartreuse, DOA short shank jig head. Veteran guide Doug Nelms will tell you not to get too close to the birds, and he is spot on. If the birds are not out, but you find the fish on your electronics, a War Eagle spoon 7/8 ounce will produce as well as live bait on most days. I prefer the white spoon with the red throat on it. When you see fish rising, conventional anglers can use the popping cork followed by a 3-foot leader and a Betts Pop N’ Stripe Popper Fly in pearl white. For the fly fisherman, an 8 weight with intermediate line can be used for a Wiggle Minnow presentation or the best fly for hybrids and stripers period, which in my opinion is

Henry Cowen’s Something Else fly. If you have not used sink tip, give it a try. It’s great in the winter, never seems to get memory in the line, and gives you the ability to target fish that are holding deeper. December Forecast Crappie – Long lining is the way to go in December. Be sure to use Curtis Hobbs’ lite wire hooks, so when you get hung up, you can simply bend the hook straight and keep fishing. http://litewirehooks.com/. The fish will still be below I-20, but as the water cools, they will begin migrating above I-20 to shallower water. This is when it’s time to get out your pushing rods and go after the huge females in their pre-spawn. Final Words - It’s hard to beat a fall/winter trip here on Lake Oconee. Email me at wmoore1700 @outlook. com or call 404-317-9556 and lock in your dates.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING CHATTOOGA RIVER

Thousands of fish have flown through the air from the cement walls in which they grew up and now have a wonderful second home in the rivers of South Carolina. These fish have now acclimated themselves with their new habitat and are well spread throughout the river corridor. Once again, many great thanks must go out to all of the hard-working individuals of the Walhalla Fish Hatchery here for raising these incredible fish. The added abundance of rain has saturated the grounds, and at times have made the rivers unsafe to wade. Waiting a few days after the rain has stopped has been the trend of late, and the rivers are slow to recede quickly due to an elevated water table. The use of a sink tip with streamers has been very productive. Swinging and then a strip and pause retrieve has put a lot of fish in the nets. The use of these sink tips is like

near them without heavy flows of water. As temperatures start their usual winter plunge, water temperatures will follow along quickly dropping as well. As the river temperatures drop, the fish will drop in the water columns to the depths where the warmest waters are located. The above mentioned sink tips are also helpful in bringing nymphs and midges to the depths where the fish are located. The use of heavily weighted flies or the use of a spilt shot or two will also be a very helpful resource in dropping flies in the water column. Dead drifts of flies

along the seams will lead to a successful day out on the waters. While fishing deep water, the use of strike indicators, high-vis colored leaders, and high-vis tippet materials will assist in seeing subtle takes of flies. Let us all remember that the great outdoors we all like to enjoy will not be there if we do not take care of it together, so let’s remember to ‘Leave No Trace’. As we draw near the close of a year that has been quite interesting to say the least, all of us here at the Chattooga River Fly Shop would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

a common looped leader, just that it has weight added to it and without the cost of purchasing an entire full sinking line. Keeping flies down in the water column can be tough with raised water levels, and these leaders help immensely. During the raised levels, fish your flies close to the banks as fish will find safe havens

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING PADDLE, PEDAL OR POWER Contributed By: William Reed Nucanoe National Pro Staff Writer IG: @wde_will There is a reason kayaking is one of the fastest growing outdoor sports. Kayaking is relatively simple to get into and it provides both recreational and fitness activity to many. One of the most favorite attributes of the industry is the amount of options available. Whereas, at one time the only option available was to paddle, we can now add the option of pedals or motorized power. For many years, the only way to propel a kayak was by paddle. Paddle kayaking is by far the cheapest way to get on the water and requires far less maintenance. There is nothing to break along with ample deck space. The propulsion is from your arms onto the paddle. The downside on a paddle kayak means your arms are always in use to propel the kayak, so when fishing or doing other things in the kayak, you are not in control. This is even more pronounced when fishing in wind or current. The other downside is

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speed, where a paddle kayak is the slowest of the three options. A budget paddle kayak can be had for less than $500 with USA made fishing kayaks in the $1-2k range. The next type of kayak is the pedal kayak. The pedal kayak is faster than the tried and true paddle kayak. Pedal kayaks work like a bicycle, using some of the biggest muscles in the body for propulsion; the legs. The other great benefit of a pedal kayak is hands free control. This allows movement while fishing, arm strength for fighting big fish, and if the need arises, you can still paddle. The downfalls of pedal kayaks include cost, space, and itâ€™s not suitable for all waters. For space, pedal kayaks require dedicated deck area for the pedals and the drive assembly. The other main consideration is type of water. Shallow waters that have rocks, vegetation or logs can cause failure of the drive or even stop you in your tracks. As for cost, a

budget pedal kayak starts around $1,500 with high end selections costing over $5k. Lastly I will talk about motorized power. Some will say a motorized kayak is no longer a kayak at all. However, kayak manufacturers are making direct bolt on motors. Motor companies like Torqeedo and Motorquide actually make kayak specific motors. Once you decide to go the motorized route, keep in mind the other components that tag along. You will need to plan for transportation more thoroughly, register it in your state as a motorized vessel, and you will either need a large battery to power the motor or even gasoline depending on the motor you choose. To highlight Nucanoe, their kay-

aks are all built with a square transom and can be paddled, pedaled or equipped with a motor. For a motor, all Nucanoes are rated up to a 2.5HP outboard to really cover some water. You can have the best of all worlds. Take one word of advice and try before you buy as any reputable manufacturer or shop will let you demo a kayak first.

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Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service December is the transition time from the fall to winter seasons. This is also the time when the Chattahoochee transforms from the murky pea-soup green color found during the fall “turn-over” period to crystal gin-clear water. As the days get shorter and cooler, you will see the surface temperature of Lake Lanier plummet into the mid to low 50’s to high 40’s. Like clockwork, usually on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, the lake will stabilize and will become uniformly cool from top to bottom causing the water color exiting the dam to take on an almost glacial appearance. You will notice that the bottom of the riverbed will

have an orange like film caused by the fall anoxic waters which are laden with heavy metals of iron and manganese which flocs as the oxygen levels increase. This orange flocculent is unsightly but will soon turn dark green with algae giving the river that emerald green we associate with the clean trout streams.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING WINTER FLY FISHING Contributed by David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001

Mid-winter days in the Southern mountains are usually quite tolerable temperature wise as long as an angler can find a little sunshine. Cloudy and cold days don’t quite get me or the trout too excited about making an appearance, especially when the water temperature is in the 30’s and slushy with ice. The midday sun usually gets a few midges stirring around, and the fish will normally follow suit. Water temperatures in streams will usually move about three to four degrees during the day, and you want to be there when it is on the rise. Falling water temperatures during the winter are better spent tying flies or some other similar required action. Fishing late morning, around 10 or so until the sun slips behind the ridge or trees can be productive as long as you fish low and slow. Nymph rigs and slow swung

streamers or wet flies are the usual suspects that produce fish. Hitting the strike zone accurately is very critical at this time of year due to the normally tiny distance that a fish will move to take a fly. Most fish will be hugging bottom in spots that require very little movement to maintain their position. Heavy nymphs that get down and dirty will produce fish. Rubber legs or marabou in addition will give flies a little more attractive action. Sometimes the fish will get on the tiny shiny bite as we call it, and small flashy nymphs will out produce any other fly pattern, so have plenty of both. Due to the fact you will be dredging bottom, losing a few flies will be in order. Using fluorocarbon tippet will get you more strikes. Fluorocarbon sinks better than nylon, and it also is more difficult for the trout to see.

If you can get close enough to the fish to watch its reaction to your fly, you can see more fish eat your fly than you realize. Strikes during this time of year will be very subtle. Often times just seeing the ‘’wink’’ of the trout inhaling your offering is

about all you’ll get out of these fish. Being fast on the draw is of upmost importance. Check out our website for information on our many different classes and guide trips. We make it easy and fun to learn to fly fish!

LAKE HARTWELL By Preston Harden Bucktail Guide Service www.bucktailguideservice.com (706) 255-5622 Water temperature: 65 degrees, water level: full pool. December fishing should be great. Water turnover should be complete by December. After the turnover, the water gets a pretty green color and fish go on a feeding frenzy. The best days will be before a front when it gets calm and cloudy. The worst days will be after a front when the sun gets bright and the wind blows hard. Hybrids and stripers move up

lake and into the major creeks by December. They move shallow and chase bait on the banks and on the surface. A bucktail jig and a small fluke that imitates a small shad works. Fly fishing becomes viable with a small Clouser on sinking line. Live blueback herring can put lots of fish in the boat. Down lines work on bright sunny mid-day or no weight free lined works early and late day. Free lined herring works all day on cloudy days. Largemouth and spotted bass also feed hard preparing for winter. They know that the water is cooling fast. When the water dips into the 40s, their metabolism will slow and they will also feed less. This usually happens in January.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST CRAPPIE CHRONICLES PART 4 NOVEMBER 7TH 2020! by Dickelsby Dickg@Theanglermagazine.com

Yes folks, some wonderful activities do continue in spite of the dreaded virus! Here we were with the ever productive North Georgia Crappie Anglers club who for the second year have hosted and directed and provided special honors for seventy-nine very special veterans with a fulfilling day of crappie fishing and picnicking and fellowship by the Gainesville shores of beautiful Lake Lanier. Thirty eight dedicated club members provided guided crappie fishing boat guidance from early morning safe light to noon thirty when the lunching and presentations and all around happiness began! The program managers were Capt. Josh Thornton, a very special crappie guide working the big lake, and veteran club photographer, Gary McDonald, who produces the most voluminous Dropbox photos of so many great group activities, and of course Jim Finley, always providing team leadership along with North Georgia Crappie Club founder, Woodie “Triple Tail” Malone who

handled the dropless microphone presentations to perfection! A big attendance bonus was in the form of a very special gift like a face shield with an American flag printed on it as well as a sensational tee shirt. In addition, the veterans took home some great prizes totaling approximately $4,500! To learn more about this growing organization, go to NorthGeorgiaCrappieAnglers.com or contact Woodie Malone at 770-634-6539. We were excited to meet Kyle Reeves of ATX LURES who along with partner, Zach Minnix, are in startup mode for the development of a Crappie Tournament Circuit covering several Georgia lakes. This mission is sure to attract many participants who are devoted crappie fishing competitors. In closing, I just want to thank Capt Josh Thornton for his major contribution of time and effort to bring about these tremendous military veterans events. If you would like to join Josh for your own crappie fishing trip, please contact him at 770-530-6493.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST JACKSON LAKE By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com Water temperature: 6266 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: stained. The fall bite is in full swing. Bass are starting to school up in the mouths of pockets and follow shad to the backs of the pockets. A square bill crankbait early morning is producing some good numbers. Color depends on water clarity, but the go-to colors are crawfish and chartreuse/blue.

As the day goes on, the bass will school up more, and you can target these schools with a smallmedium size spoon. Be patient jigging the spoon as this technique takes a little time to persuade the fish. If you can find an active school feeding, you can load the boat quickly. This time of year is a simple and straightforward presentation type of fishing. Once you get a bite, keep duplicating that cadence. A jig around any kind of structure will yield quality bites, but just be patient. Spinnerbaits are catching some good numbers as well. Until next month, tight lines.

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LAKE BURTON Forecast by: Capt. Wes Carlton Georgia Lake Fishing 770-318-9777 www.georgialakefishing.com Water temperature: 63 degrees, lake level: 2 feet below pool, clarity: slight stain. Bass: The bass bite has been unreal the last few weeks with the warmer water temps. We have caught most of our fish toward the backs of creeks. Swimbaits have been producing the best bite. We have been throwing Sebile Magic Swimmers. We have also caught fish on underspins tipped with Flukes. Look for the grass on the electronics in the 9 to 16 foot depths and target these areas. Both the largemouth and spotted bass are here. Some of these fish have

been in the 5 to 6-pound range. We have had some 35 fish days which is exceptional for this time of year. Look for the bite to slow a little and change over to a deeper water spoon bite in the main lake over long points. Trout: The brown trout bite has been great the last few weeks. The lake has been stocked this year with some healthy fish. We have caught most of our trout using Rapala Countdowns and Blue Fox Spinners (silver). Try rolling the bait fast when fishing for the brown trout. These fish like a high speed retrieve with a jerking motion. Look for the trout in the backs of the creeks near fallen trees or close to the creek channels. This bite should continue for the next month or so. Good luck!

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST DITCH FISH LANIER IN DECEMBER FOR BETTER RESULTS Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com

While the outside elements are not always favorable, December and throughout the winter can offer some outstanding angling on Lake Lanier. Big sacks of spotted bass can be taken during these cold-weather months if you approach the lake with an open mind and are willing to try some different techniques and locations, and mostly, get off the bank. In this month’s review, we will explore one productive approach to Lanier in December – the ditches. And with the lake on a draw down for some anticipated dam repairs in late 2020, this should make the ditches even more productive this year. Ditches: A ditch can be defined as a significant depression, typically narrow in width (2-15 feet), which offers a sharp depth change of 2 feet or more from the surrounding structure. Ditches can be naturally occurring or can be man-made. These features exist in many places on Lake Lanier, and they hold fish during the winter months. Ditches can be shallow or deep, and sometimes both depending on the length and location of the ditch. The lake will be down about 4 feet from full pool going into December, so I anticipate a normal year in terms of this bite. Your Search: Use your Lowrance HDS electronics with 3D Structure Scan to find creek arms or pockets just off of the main creek channels that offer a deep vein extending back into the arm or cove/pocket. The farther the deep water extends into

the creek arm, the better. When you enter these areas and are searching for productive water, search for the presence of baitfish in and around the timber which you will find in the deeper water portions of the ditch. If you do not find bait, you will not find fish. Start your search in 40 feet of water in the mouth of the ditch and work your way back. Start fishing when you find the bait. Technique: Once you find a creek arm that meets the above criteria, you must now determine how you are going to fish these potentially productive waters. Your approach should be determined by the location of the bait and time of day. Early in the mornings, active fish will often be positioned shallower in the ditch, towards the back and sometimes right in the middle. Your presentation speed should vary directly with the water temperature. The colder the water, the slower your presentation should be. Experiment with different lures and retrieve speed to determine the optimum strike provoking presentation on any given day. Following are some baits and techniques to try as you explore the ditches on Lake Lanier: Underspin – My favorite for this time of year. Cast this bait down the center of the ditches in which you have found bait and fish. Work the bait slowly on the bottom and be alert for very light bites. Make sure to let the fish load up on the bait before you set the hook. That is the toughest

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part of this approach. It is easy to feel the first bite and immediately set the hook. Resist the temptation and keep reeling slowly until the fish “loads up”. Use a boot-tail type trailer as the water gets colder. The vibration of this type of trailer helps the fish zero in on the bait. Try the GA Blade Underspin – always a winner! Crankbait – When the fish are shallower in the ditches, particularly in the mornings, a crankbait can be an effective search bait. Fan cast the back of pockets and ditches with a crankbait and work the bait slowly and deliberately. The more the bait bumps and deflects off the bottom and acts erratically, the better. Deep diving crankbaits such as the Spro Little John DD work great for this application, but don’t hesitate to experiment with other options in this arena as well, such as shallow and medium diving baits. The Spro MD or Little John Baby DD are excellent options. Don’t forget to try the SPRO jerbaits as well – a McStick or McRip can be excellent options in the backs of these creek arms early in the morning. Overall, stay flexible in your approach and don’t be afraid to switch techniques! Jig/Worm – When the fish are not as active, a jig or worm fished in the ditches can be effective. Work the baits SLOWLY on the bottom. Make sure to pause the bait frequently and impart some pops and hops in the presentation. This can be key to triggering strikes. Play with color selection on both the jig and worm. I like the Georgia Blade jigs and shaky head options for all of my bottom bumping presentations. Use a Berkley jig trailer on the Georgia jig and a Berkley Power Worm as a trailer on the Georgia Blade shaky head. Try the Berkley Max Scent Hit Worm in finesse situations and the Berkley Max Scent General for a bigger bite.

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As the day progresses, particularly on sunny days, the bait and fish will move into the deeper portions of the ditch and will relate to the available cover, such as brush or standing timber. Presenting a Georgia jig, drop-shot worm by Lanier Baits, or jigging spoon from Georgia Blade to these fish can be effective as well. Make sure to experiment with different places and approaches as the lake fishes differently each day. For more information or to book your winter trip, contact Jimbo on Lanier! 770-542-7764. Jimbo’s website: www.jimboonlanier.com.

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The cold weather is finally here, but don’t be a fair-weather fisherman. December and the winter months on Lake Chatuge are off the hook, so throw on some thermals and hit the water for some of the best bass and hybrid fishing in North Georgia. Remember, all of our December half day trips and Christmas gift certificates are only $250. That’s a saving of $100! Check out our Facebook page and www. bigolfish.com for more info. Our gift certificates are a perfect gift for that fisherman or fisherwoman. Water temperatures are currently in the low 60’s, and the water level is down 7 feet. Water clarity is clear throughout the lake and slightly stained in the backs of creeks. Spotted bass are still schooled up throughout the lake, and we are absolutely slaying them! We’ve had a fantastic topwater bite and downline

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bite in the mornings. Check shallow humps and areas from 15-30 feet deep. Watch for these fish to bust the water as they chase up bait then cast into them. Poppers, Spooks, spoons, and, of course live bait, have been working great on catching these spots. Also, don’t forget to target your points and brush piles. Some excellent largemouth and spots have been caught lately off rocky points and around brush. Now that water temps have fallen, the hybrids are on the move. These guys are heading towards the creeks and rivers and are moving up in the water column. Early morning topwater has been great on Red Fins and Zara Spooks. The same rule of thumb applies as for the spotted bass—search around shallow areas and watch for fish chasing up bait. Trolling freelines with live bait and planer boards should work fine as well. We’ve also been doing awesome with a downline on some big hybrids still schooled up deep in the mouths of creeks. Several fish from the 8-10-pound range have been boated with us lately. Live blueback herring remains your best bet to catch these fish. December fishing on Lake

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DECEMBER 2020

ATLANTA 19

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE EUFAULA

WEST POINT LAKE

Bass: Fair - The shallow bite remains fair now and could improve even more, especially with a little stained water, higher than normal lake levels and water temps in the 50s and 60s. Baits such as Rat-L-Traps, square bill crankbaits and chatterbaits are catching some of these shallower fish. Try to fish these baits in coves and pockets with small feeder creeks or around schools of shallow baitfish. Fish the open water in the pockets with an Alabama Rig or Flash Mob Jr. Keep a jig or shaky head handy to pitch around any wood cover. Fishing rip-rap can also produce good results this time of year. Yellow Jacket and Whitewater Creeks continue to produce. Big schools of spots mixed with hybrids, white bass and stripers can be caught on jigging spoons and drop-shot rigs and shaky head rigs on humps and drop-offs. Target deeper offshore structures like brush piles and old road beds in 20-30 feet of water near the mouth of most major creeks for the best results. Linesides: Good - The downline bite with shad or bass shiners has improved as the water has cooled off. Freelining a live bait will also work at times. Most of

the fish seem to be holding 20 to 30 feet deep when they are not schooling on the surface. Gulls and loons usually show up strong in December, which makes it easier to pinpoint schooling stripers. A popping cork rig has still been working on schooling 1 to 3-pound fish with an occasional bigger one mixed in. A 3/8 or 1/2-oz. white Rooster Tail, a chrome C.C. Spoon and a number of other small shad imitators have also been producing, and the colder it gets the better the fishing usually is. As the water cools, a bucktail jig becomes very effective as well. The mouths of most creeks anywhere south of the Highland Marina area all the way to the dam and Maple Creek have been holding fish. Trolling with mid-depth crankbaits and Alabama Rigs continues to produce some linesides in these same areas. Crappie: Fair - Try tight line fishing with minnows or a 1/16-oz. or smaller jig around bridge pilings, brush piles, and blow downs in 6 to 15 feet of water. Concentrate on trees and brush that are close to the old creek channels. Pitching or shooting docks with small tube or feather jigs around or under the docks can still produce this time of year. Yellow Jacket, Wehadkee and Whitewater Creeks are still producing some crappie. Spider trolling usually starts back in December as well and can be very effective. If December turns unusually warm and wet, the crappie can show back up surprisingly shallow very quickly.

By Capt Sam Williams hawk184@earthlink.net 334-687-6266 Water temperature: 70’s, lake level: 186.72 msl, clarity: slight stain. The river level is recovering nicely. The new growth on the shorelines will soon be under water again, and the baitfish will be working this area as will the bass. The shallow bite is holding true with shaky heads, Texas rigs and light jigs rigged with green colors and black being a great choice. Topwater lures on the edges are also doing the trick. A lipless crankbait, Snagless Sally or chatterbait works well also. The shad are still working the drops near the shallow banks and the chatterbait and lipless cranks worked through these schools are getting some nice fish. The deeper bass are holding on natural and man-made cover. Carolina rigs and heavy jigs are doing a good job aggravating a strike. The fish are still full and need to be finessed into a strike. Crappie are beginning to get settled down and are eating minnows on the deeper structure. Locate these trash piles on your electronics and hold your bait just above them. I still see some bream fishermen working the banks with worms and crickets as well as a few on the edge of the flats. Catfish are still doing well for the bottom fishermen, and the jug fishermen are returning as the water is not being pulled so hard. Please visit www.alclassic. com and sign up for our newsletter. Keep up with the news as we progress towards an exciting June 2021

tournament, We thank Alfa Insurance for becoming our title sponsor guaranteeing our first place team a $5,000.00 pay out with a total purse of $15,000.00 paid to fifteen teams plus the big fish side pot paid for first and second big fish. For more info or to sign up, call me at 334355-5057. Pray for our nation and each other. God is still in control and will see us through these trying times. God Bless and good fishing.

When you visit or call one of our advertisers, or fish with one of our captains, make sure to tell them you saw their ad in:

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DECEMBER 2020

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST BONUS RED SNAPPER SEASON By Chuck Alford, President ASWSC, chuckalford@comcast.net The Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission sent out a press release on Sept 30th announcing a bonus Red Snapper season Saturdays and Sundays: Oct. 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Nov. 1. About 2 minutes after it came out, some good friends, Ben and Laura, called wanting to go (that happens when you have a place in Panama City Beach and an offshore boat!). Because of the opening of the Georgia deer season the first weekend and our ASWSC Grand Isle tournament on the third weekend, the middle weekend of Oct 24th and 25th was our window to put bonus fillets in the freezer. It turns out the first weekend’s weather was too rough for fishing (but not for a South Georgia 6 point), and the third weekend was worse with Hurricane Zeta which caused us to cancel the Grand Isle tournament. But the middle week-

end was open, so plans were made. I had just finished installing a Rhodan trolling motor on my boat, and after a few minutes of fishing, I realized how much being able to anchor lock on a spot offshore without messing with an anchor is a game changer. I was actually able to fish without spending most of my effort trying to hold the boat over the spot with the outboards. We easily limited on the Red Snapper and managed three Scamp Grouper and one Red Grouper, and a huge Vermillion Snapper along with several Red Porgies and a few Red Grouper and Amberjack that were too short and went back in. It was a great trip. For years, the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fisheries Management Councils have been limiting the length of the Red Snapper seasons. Their data showed the Snapper were overfished. The

problem is, while a couple of decades ago you hardly ever caught a Red Snapper, now there are so many you have trouble getting a bait past them to catch other fish in season such as Grouper. A few years ago, the Gulf Council limited the season to 3 days for a couple of years, but has since opened it up to 40 days or so, and last year handed control of the fisheries over to the Gulf States which is a big improvement. I think we are going to start having longer seasons. The South Atlantic council on the other hand, opened a 5 day season this year with a limit of 1 fish per person versus the 2 per person in the Gulf. I hope the SAFMC is paying attention to the GFMC and will open up the fishing on our east coast in the future. The good news is that in 2016 Congress authorized the great Red Snapper count which finished up this year and determined there are three times the number of Red Snapper in the Gulf as was previously thought (by the fisheries management folks, not the fishermen fighting through them every trip.) With the states, who

understand the economic value of this fishery, now in charge and the new data, I think we will get more opportunity to catch these delicious fish in the future. BTW, as soon as I finish this article and send it in to the Angler Magazine, I am headed to the kitchen to cook up some Red Snapper fillets! The Atlanta Saltwater Sportsman Club (ASWSC) is the largest inland saltwater fishing club in the US, active since 1987, and today is accepted as the foremost authority on saltwater fishing in the Atlanta area. For more information about ASWSC: www.aswsc.org, info@aswsc.org, and like us on Facebook “Atlanta Saltwater Sportsman Club”.

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DECEMBER 2020

ATLANTA 21

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE MARTIN

LAKE BLUE RIDGE Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973

lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com

Water temperature: 62 degrees, lake level: -14 feet, clarity: 4 feet. Itâ€™s officially fall but most of the fish are still in a summer pattern. DeepÂ is the name of the game for walleye right now. Spoons and jigs in 50 to 65 feet of water off of the river channel is our best bite. Cloudy overcast days seem to be better than sunny bluebird skies as usual. Early morning and right before dark tend to be the best time of day. I am liking Blue Fox Pixie spoons in chrome and green with

a snap lift vs a slow one. The better fish have come from point 5 up on the bends in the river. The spotted bass we have been catching are in big schools of 10 to 20 fish and are cruising in 20-30 feet of water over a 50 to 60 foot bottom. We catch a lot of them by power reeling the spoons we are walleye fishing with up through the schools as they show up on the sonar. It seems like thereâ€™s a school near each point in Star Creek and near the dam. The crappie are held up in small schools on these small rock piles in 30 to 40 feet of water. Minnows and a split shot will catch them. Look in basin areas with a semi flat bottom. They will be in little groups. The lake is down a good bit now so be aware of any shallow hazards.Â

Itâ€™s officially fall but most of the fish are still in a summer pattern.

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Provided By: David Hare Alex City Guide Service 256-401-3089 Water temperature: 68 degrees, lake level: 486.00, full pool is 491.00, clarity: clear to lightly stained. Itâ€™s all I can do to take time off the water long enough to write this article due to fishing is so crazy good this time of year. Over the years, our clients have learned that some of our most successful trips are in December. December will not disappoint you here on this beautiful reservoir. If fishing on your own in your personal boat, it is very important to have and know how to use your electronics. We personally use Humminbirds on all our charter boats. They are very user friendly and probably the most maintenance free units on the market today. Regardless of which area of the lake you choose to fish, you will be able to find bait close by, and when you find baitfish, you will find fish. Our experience on Lake Martin is if you find fish suspended 20 feet or less, you can definitely entice a topwater explosion, and if they are suspended deeper than 20 feet, then you need to focus on dropping live bait down to them staying approximately 2-4 feet above the school. In December, you may want to go down on line size to get more bites. The lighter the line, the more bites you will get, and to overcome the break offs, you simply lighten up on your drag system. You can definitely get a trophy striper in December on light line. Our largest on light line has been 45-pounds on 10-pound test line on a spinning rod freelining a very small threadfin shad. December is also one of the few months that you do not have to be on the water at daylight to have a successful trip. If youâ€™re a sleep-in kind of person, then this month would be a perfect month for you to fish, because with the water temps being very cool, it is not unusual for the fishing to be very good all day long. You also may be lucky enough to come up on the few sea gulls that hang out on our lake. If they are actively diving on huge schools of bait, try casting your favorite topwater lure to them and hold on. It could be the hit youâ€™ve dreamed of!

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If youâ€™re trying to think of an awesome gift for your family or anyone in your life, consider a gift certificate from us. You can pay up front or not pay until the day of trip. From all of us at Alex City Guide Service, we wish each one of you a very Merry Christmas.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST CLARKS HILL LAKE

Winter fishing is upon us. After a mild fall, we are finally having some freezing temperatures on the way. As of this report, the lake level is 328.6 feet, and morning surface temperatures are still hanging around 68 degrees. We anticipate the water level to be low this winter. This gives the fish less room to hide but also presents more obstacles to avoid on the early morning runs. By mid-December, the baitfish and predators will have migrated up the rivers and creeks and will be scattered throughout the entire reservoir. We will have predictable success intercepting the moving fish by presenting lively herring on down rods along the river and creek bends. A good starting

point is 24 feet down but can be much shallower in low light conditions. We have boats on the water daily and can keep up with the migration. Give us a call and let the professionals put you on the fish. Snacks, drinks and a fishing license are all that is required. We even fillet the catch for you. Look us up for a good time

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ATLANTA 23

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST FISHING BOAT DOCKS

By Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com 770-889-2654

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Docks can be great locations for game fish, but not all docks are the same. They are magic hideouts for all types of fish. Docks can be long and flat or sharp and deep. Fishing docks can be floating or have dock poles that keep them stable. Docks can be made from wood or some type of metal. So which ones are the best? Docks that are “T” shaped provide more shade with different angles of the sun than a straight line dock. Over time, anglers have learned that wood docks provide several options over metal docks. Fish like to hide in the shade, and in the warmer months it can provide comfort with slightly cooler water. From years of fishing experience, wood docks are the best ones. Wooden docks are usually covered in microorganisms that all small fish need for food, and any plankton that grows on the docks brings the baitfish to feed on it. Then the game fish show up. The location of the dock also has a lot to do with its fish attracting ability. Is it on a point or near a drop off or deeper water? If so, all the better. Check your Lowrance C-Mapping technology for the better locations surrounding the docks. This is a feature many do not use. For longevity of use, an aluminum dock is a better decision. They aren’t as likely to have to go back and make repairs or rebuild, though they can last a relatively long time and attract fish sooner. In comparison, the wooden docks will begin to deteriorate as soon as it is exposed to the elements. Homeowners on lakes may have added structure that can easily be replenished with new structure as needed over the years. If the dock is to also be used by swimmers, home owners take care to put fish attractors out of

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their way. The best way to find the best docks is to use the latest Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology. This technology can scan up 300 feet to both sides of the boat. Set the range to the Lowrance Structure Scan side beams to reach the bank, say 80 feet left and right. Ride by the docks, and in less than 60 seconds, anglers can see the fish, count the fish, tell what they are and put an exact waypoint on them. Set the Down Scan to auto depth so anglers don’t miss anything under the boat. So the common question is: why scan both ways? In many cases, there might be structure out from the dock anglers would miss if they only scan only one way. We hear this phrase many times: I think I can catch them, but I just don’t know how to find them. With this Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology, it’s real simple. Don’t stop the boat until you see the fish.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN: OUTDOOR HOLIDAY SHOPPING Dr. Andrew Cox

The holiday season has rolled around once again. Finding gifts for people who enjoy angling can be a dilemma; it can be easy yet difficult to locate such gifts. Some anglers have a multitude of angling items and gadgets, so finding something that they do not already have can be difficult. Finding a fishing item that they may actually use over the course of a fishing season can be another dilemma. As you search for holiday gift purchases, consider shopping at locally owned angling and sporting goods stores. These are many times small businesses that are the foundation of America’s economy and seem to be having a difficult time competing with the large, so called “big box” stores as well as online sales outlets. Browsing around

these stores may provide some gifting ideas for those sportspersons in your life. Most of these smaller stores have knowledgeable sales staff and carry tackle and product brands not found at big box tackle outlets. Another advantage is that you can actually see and touch the item to be purchased to judge its quality and features. Another thing that I enjoy about local sporting goods outlets is sometimes you can find classic leftover stocks of lures and similar products no longer available at the big box or online sales outlets can be found. Finding original balsa Banga-Lures, Big O’s, or other discontinued tackle lines has occurred to me more than one time over the course of my browsing. I seem to be doing more and

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owned sporting goods stores. Don’t forget about homemade angling or angling oriented items. If you tie flies or jigs, making these in various color or size combinations are nice gifts. These handcrafted flies and jigs can be packaged into a nice box for presentation purposes. Fishing also seems to stimulate ones appetite. Prepared specialty and snack foods such as deer or beef jerky or similar foods that can be consumed while on the water are good gift items. If all else fails relative to gifts for that hard to please outdoors person, you cannot go wrong with a gift certificate. This allows the receiver to choose their own items for purchase. Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@aol.com.

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more of my angling purchases through angling websites and vendors. Multiple purchases can be made from your computer allowing completion of gift purchases without leaving your office or home. This certainly saves time and the frustration dealing with crowds at various shopping areas. A disadvantage is that you can read about an item to be purchased, yet not able to view it until the item arrives. Sometimes the quality or nature of the purchased item does not meet your expectations, requiring time and expense to initiate an item return. Like many anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts, I enjoy browsing around the big box outdoors stores. They have a large selection of items that can be picked up and viewed by the potential purchaser. Sometimes, though not always, sales and customer service staff are knowledgeable and can provide guidance relative to a particular product line or angling style. A disadvantage is that these outlets only carry selected product lines. Accordingly, you may not find the specialty or niche fishing items found at smaller, locally

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LANIER STRIPERS Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673 It looks like the striper fishing on Lanier is falling into textbook winter fishing this year. The water temperature is steadily dropping and the bait is starting to condense in the creeks. Find the bait and you will find the fish. The baitfish are now moving into the creeks in very large schools. Some of these schools are absolutely massive. On and off throughout the day, the stripers will move through this bait and feast. You want to be waiting on the stripers with the traditional downline with blueback herring and rainbow trout. It’s still too early to say if herring or trout will be the bait of choice. You will need the same setup for both of these baits, but you will need different size weights and hooks. Spool up a Penn Fathom II 20 reel with 15-pound Trilene Big Game clear line paired with a Shakespeare striper rod. You can use this setup year round for stripers. Tie a Carolina rig on the end with a Capt. Mack 2-ounce swivel sinker and 5 foot leader of 15-pound Trilene 100% Flourocarbon and a Gamakatsu 3/0 octopus hook. If the trout are smaller, go with the 1/0 or 2/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. On the herring, use the smaller 1 ounce Capt. Mack

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swivel sinker. On the herring use a smaller size 1 Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap hook and 12-pound Trilene 100 % Flourocarbon. All of these details are important. These details will make the difference between fishing and catching. If you want to catch these fish on artificials, the spoon is a great choice. Tie on a Capt. Mack Super Spoon on a 6’6” Fenwick medium action rod paired with an Abu Garcia Revo X with 10-pound line and drop the spoon to the bottom and work it in a yo-yo type motion. Most of the bites will be on the fall of the spoon. If you do see some surface action, keep a Berkley Spy tied on a spinning rod or a small 3/8 ounce Berkley Fusion bucktail or a 3/8 ounce Capt. Mack Super Jig white bucktail. To find where these deep pods are located, first look for any birds. The birds always narrow your search. Now that you are in the right area, the proper electronics are crucial. On the Humminbird Solix, you can see these huge pods of bait and even see your bait swimming around on the hook around the schools of bait. During the winter, do not be afraid to fish in the middle of the day. Many times in the winter, the best fishing is during the warmest part of the day. No need to freeze at daylight. December is one of my favorite months of the year.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE SEMINOLE

WHERE DO BASS GO IN THE WINTER? Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com “They were here yesterday. Now they are gone!” one angler said with a puzzled look on his face. I idle by in my boat in the narrow channel under a bridge. “You catching any?” the angler at the front of the boat asked. “I sure am and got a limit.” I can’t remember how many times I have been on both sides of this fence. Some days you find them and some days you don’t. The fact is, wintertime can be tough to catch fish, especially if it’s going into a transition time from fall. Just where do the bass go in the wintertime? You might be surprised that they are right under your nose near bluffs, main lake points and ditches.Let me explain. Bass, just like many other species, want to find an environment where they can survive. Many times, they find this location in the comfort of steep bluffs where they can suspend. One reason is the ability to move up and down without expending a lot of energy to feed. Another reason is that the bluff walls can heat up rather fast and provide some warmth on days with high sunny skies. I like to throw baits such as jerk baits next to the wall and work them back to the boat. One key is to let the bait sit for a few moments. This gives that fish more time to target the bait and take it. I frequently must make multiply casts to get the strike to happen. Give it a try. There’s something about the main lake points that hold bass in the winter, however, finding the right points is the key to increasing your chances to putting fish in the boat. One of the best places to

map out on your paper map or electronics is to find a channel that runs close to a main-lake point and start fishing. Often, you will have a bit of a flat closer to the point, and then it drops into deeper water. I like to have additional cover close too, such as docks, rock, and seawalls. When there is more cover and structure near this channel swing, it seems to hold fish longer, and the location tends to be an area you can come back and catch more fish each visit. Make sure your tried and true baits such as jigs, cranks, rattle baits, Crigs, and jerk baits are all on deck. Fishing the ditches in the wintertime can turn out to be some of the best fishing the lake has to offer. Lakes in Georgia such as Lanier, West Point, Hartwell and Russell have some of the best bass fishing in the South. Wintertime fishing the ditches can be some of the most fun you can have. One of the best baits you can use is the Fish Head Spin in the ½ oz size. Make a long cast and let it sink down to the bottom of the ditch. Just crawl the bait back to the boat, keeping it off the bottom with short twitches as it bounces off the bottom. Fish will be in the ditches, ready to take your offering. When you get the urge to head out to the lake in the winter and the fish are just not biting, take a moment to look around to see if you see any bluffs, main lake points or ditches. If you do, you may just turn your day around and make one heck of a fishing trip. As always, thank you for the opportunity to have a bit of your time. Please follow me on Instagram at Jay Striker52, Facebook.

Forecast By: by Capt. Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com The bass fishing on Lake Seminole has been excellent with the falling water temperatures as the bass, stripers and hybrids have begun their fall feed! The big largemouths have been feeding heavily on bream while the schooling bass are feeding on shad. The hybrids’ and stripers’ annual fall feed will last through January! We have been catching bass on a variety of lures from spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs to jerk baits. A double willow leaf Strike King Premier Plus 1/2 ounce in chartreuse and white has produced very well. This bait works well at fast speeds to generate a reaction strike. The new Strike King Thunder Cricket has been very productive this fall, and I expect it to continue to produce through the winter! It has incredible action to it and a built in trailer keeper that works great! Jerk baits have worked well this fall and will continue through December. The key has been working them fast and at an erratic pace. As the water temps continue to drop, slow the pace down. The Strike King KVD jerk bait in the 200 series and the 300 series in any shad color have worked well. The Strike KVD series is one of my favorite jerk baits because of its casting ability and action.

LAKE ALLATOONA Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson www.firstbiteguideservice.com eidson6260@att.net Linesides fishing is fair! The bite is starting to pick up. The fish are starting to move north and can be caught from the Delta to Clear Creek. The flats on the north end of the lake seems to be holding more fish than the flats mid-lake, but the fish we are catching in the mid-section of the lake seem to be bigger.

28 ATLANTA

DECEMBER 2020

The hybrids and stripers have been exciting to catch, and we have been averaging over 30 each morning by 10:00am! When fishing for stripers and hybrids, the right action rod and a 6:3.1 gear ratio reel is important. I prefer a Temple Fork Outfitters Rod in the Professional Series. It’s a 7’6” heavy action rod and is ideal for catching big stripers and hybrids on an Alabama rig. It is fast action but is moderate enough to handle the strong surges that you get when fighting big hybrids and stripers. On the business end of A-rigs, I prefer the Bass Assassin 4 and 5 inch Die Dapper rigged on a Saltwater Assassin jig head. For an exciting Lake Seminole Fishing Adventure this fall email us @lakeseminolefishingadventures@ gmail.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook @lakeseminolefishingadventures! Give us a call at 850-2647534 to check availability!

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Downlining shad has been working best for us. The numbers are nowhere near what they were just four weeks ago, but if you’re in the right place at the right time, boating 20 plus fish can be had in a very short time. Trolling is fair. The key to catching these fish is to bottom bump your u-rigs on flats with an 18-20 foot bottom. The topwater bite is off and on. The better bite seems to be in the afternoon on the north end of the lake near Sweetwater.

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST HOLIDAY GIFTS, GADGETS AND DOOHICKEYS By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series 201 Woods Lane, Hartwell, GA 30643

Are you trying to find a holiday gift for someone who loves to fish? That can be one of the most difficult tasks of the year. First, because they probably have too much stuff already, and it would be almost impossible to buy a lure, a reel, or a fishing accessory they really need, and second, because whatever you buy them will most likely end up on a shelf, gathering dust. Buying me $25 flashy lures that I’ll never use is kind of a waste of money, at least for me. I’d bet many folks who fish on a regular basis might tell you the same thing. Anglers can be a fickle group of folks. I know, because I am one. So, I searched my

memory for things that I use a lot; stuff I need to replace regularly because it wears out, or gets used up, or I drop it in the water and lose it. Sound familiar? Here’s a few gifts, gadgets and doohickeys you can stuff in your fa-

vorite angler’s stocking or put under the tree this holiday season. I’d be really happy to get any of these. Fishing pliers. Get the really good ones. The cheap ones will rust after one fishing trip. Get titanium or aluminum so they are less prone to rusting. Cuda and Project-X make good ones for less than $40, or produce a very big smile by giving a set of Van Staal titanium pliers for around $350. A good multi-tool. Again, stay away from the cheap ones that have 30 blades and cost $10. Go with a quality brand like Leatherman or Gerber and choose one that just has a few tools on it. FoodSaver vacuum sealer system. Frozen filets will keep longer. Get a couple extra rolls of sealing bags too. If your angler owns a boat, get them a gift certificate for a full

clean and wax from a boat detailing company. Nothing looks better than a shiny boat on the water. Practical gadgets are always appreciated such as a LED headlamp that clamps on the bill of a ball cap. Get one with both red and white LED’s. Other good ideas are line clippers on a retractable spool or pair of compact binoculars. The Nikon Aculons are about $60, and they are great. If you’re still having trouble finding the perfect item, gift cards from Bass Pro, Cabela’s, or West Marine are always a good back-up. I personally love gift cards, because I can buy exactly what I want. Be sure to throw in some sunscreen, bug spray and single use lens cleaning wipes, then put it all in a 5-gallon bucket that has a lid with a seat cushion on it. A 5-gallon bucket is one of the most useful items on a fishing trip. It helps carry gear to the boat, then it becomes a trash can or bait tank, and ultimately the soap bucket for washing the boat at the end of the day. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas.

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ATLANTA 29

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST GENTLE SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW TO BECOME A BETTER BASS FISHERMAN

by O’Neill Williams

LAKE CHATUGE Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323

I get that question often on the radio show, and generally we could think of thousands of examples and recommendations that would work. Let’s handle a very few today and see if it makes a little sense. Go fishing. Join a fishing club that requires you to go to different lakes and streams and during times and days that you wouldn’t go otherwise. You will get to fish with and observe different fishermen and copy or discard their techniques. I recall a friend and tournament angler from many years ago who was an example of this. He qualified for the first Bassmaster Classic and, I believe, did win more that one regular season BASS tournament. His name was Junior Collis. He had only a 10th grade education but was persistent in fishing at least 100+ days per year under many different conditions and on lakes all over the country. I fished West Point with him a few times and he beat me consistently. How? Just by staying in touch with the bait. He had made thousands of casts over the year, and I had not. He could feel the bite better. It’s a good example about ‘going’ often. Without naming them, I know of several talented bass fishermen who won the ‘Classic’ but then were never heard from again. Why? They started a promotional tour visiting fishing clinics and gatherings of that type and stopped fishing as often as they had. Their talent faded. Be a student of fishing. How? If you want to be better and enjoy it more, stop going to the same lake so often and visit others. Even on the same lake, restrict your area to parts of the lake where you’ve never fished before. Go up the river and try that. I bass fished in a tournament with Rick Clunn. I still remember the little practices and ‘tricks’ he used to catch more and more. Here’s one he taught me that you should apply. When spring approaches, the first creek closest to the dam will

warm up first because it’s not as affected by the cold temperatures of the main rivers that feed the lake. So, fish there first. Secondly, the day we were together, we were using buzzbaits, and if he got a rise to the bait but not a hook up, he had rigged a plastic worm in readiness and immediately threw the plastic worm into the spot where the bite was missed. He caught the bass almost every time. I learned. Techniques make a difference too. A few years ago, I fished with Davy Hite for a TV show. Recall that he was BASS angler of the year and Bassmaster Classic champion at least once. It was a cold day at 24 degrees and I was in the front of the boat so got first shot at the targets which were grass outcroppings in the mouth of the coves in a shallow lake in North Carolina. At these temperatures, it was one of those days that you ‘might have gotten a bite’. Not with Davy! In three hours, I caught two and he caught five fishing ‘used’ targets. His casts were more precise and landed softly and within six inches of the edge of the grass. My casts were a foot or more from the edge. He was better at casting and, although I wouldn’t be able to tell, probably was more talented in detecting the bite or strike. So, there you go. Go often, try different places and techniques, and you’ll get better.

30 ATLANTA

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DECEMBER 2020

Water temperature: 64-66 degrees, lake level: 4.5 feet below full pool, clarity: clear. Man, we’ve been having some crazy weather the past month. There has been couple of hurricanes come through dropping off around 10” of rain, then following each hurricane has been cold fronts, which has been the two of the coldest times of the year. So, the fish has been a little messed up, with the water levels rising and lowering. I’ve not been on any type of topwater bite, but I keep a Whopper Plopper, Cane Walker and Strike King Sexy Dawg tied on just in case we’re lucky and get around some blowing up. I have mostly caught all my fish the past month on a dropshot rigged with a 4.5” Roboworm, shaky head with a 5” finesse worm in green pumpkin or a Texas rig with a green pumpkin worm. I’ve been targeting clay banks that have brush or laydown, deep rocky banks and long points. I’m also targeting boat docks that have brush around them and are in the sun, but has a good shade line. This time of year, it is good to throw a Seible 125 Magic Swimmer jointed swim bait and a 1/8 oz. or 1/4

oz. Strike King 3.25” Magic Swimmer swim bait, casting it out and letting it sink and just slow reeling it back. I like throwing a 3/8 oz. Z-Man Jack Hammer chatterbait in spot remover color around brush, docks and points. It’s also a good time of year to start throwing a small size crankbait like a Strike King 3xd, Bandit 200 or a Norman Middle N. If you like fishing a jig, I’ve been catching fish on a 3/8 oz. black/blue and pb/j. Fishing should start getting better since the days are getting shorter and the water temps are dropping. When the water temps get back down to 55 degrees, start throwing your A-rigs. So if you’re looking for some great fishing, give Welch’s Guide Service a call. We’re your #1 guide service, and we’ve been doing this since 2001.

CARTERS LAKE Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973

lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com

Water temperature: 65 degrees, lake level: -6 feet, clarity: 7 feet. Carters has been turning out some nice fish of all species. Some of the stripers have moved upriver and are in a more angler friendly depth compared to last month. With the fish up shallow feeding in the morning, the planer board bite has picked up in recent weeks. Fresh gizzards or big alewife are the key to success right now. I prefer 14 to 17-pound test setups with circle hooks for shallow baits right now. We are running baits 40 to 50 feet behind the board,

as well as 100 foot back flat lines. Anywhere from the main island up has been our target area and should continue to produce fish in the following weeks while water temps stay in the 60s. The walleye have moved up from the depths and are holding in the 30 to 40 foot range around timber and chasing shad schools at dawn and dusk. Spoons, jigging lures and jigging minnows are the go-to lures right now and the artificials are out fishing live bait. Trolling crankbaits is another option but can be very costly on Carters with the scattered timber. Be sure you have a clear trolling plan and pull lures in the 30 foot zone at 2.0mph.

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE NOTTELY STRIPER By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER If you like the thrill of a 30 pound striper exploding on the end of you line as if a bowling ball was dropped on it from a two story building, then winter striper fishing in North Georgia is for you! These are by far the most wicked fighting freshwater fish around, and we are very fortunate to have several area lakes stocked with these monster fish. So, after opening all those Christmas gifts, come get your fish on with Lake Nottely and Lake Hiwassee’s #1 striper guide service, Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. Also, remember all of our December half day trips and Christmas half day gift certificates are only $250. Check out our Facebook page or www. bigolfish.com for more details. Lake Nottely is currently about 12 feet below full pool. Water temps are still in the lower 60’s. Lake clarity is clear and stained in the backs of creeks. Striper fishing has been excellent lately. The bigger fish are really starting to come up in the water column and are headed towards shallow humps and into the creeks. We’ve already had many stripers in

the 20 to 30 pound range. Look for these big stripers anywhere from point 1 to point 9. This is a great time of year to start using bigger bait. Start off by pulling planer boards and free-lines early in the morning. Live bluebacks and gizzard shad are working best. Topwater bite has been wicked good and should be getting even better as the water continues to cool, so as you’re pulling baits, keep a Red Fin or a Spook tied on and work those banks and points. We want to wish everyone out there a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks for an awesome year of fishing, and we hope to see you in 2020. Remember, December is a fantastic month for catching a lot of stripers and bass on this North Georgia lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s best trophy stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Blairsville, GA’s premier fulltime guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Hiwassee, Chatuge and Lake Blue Ridge. And for all your live bait and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing and have the best live herring around. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine and let us help you get your fish on!

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ATLANTA 31

Wall of Fame .

WIN A FREE ANGLER MAGAZINE CAP! One will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!

Ken Chamberlain with a chunky striper caught on Carters Lake.

Dutch Earl with a carp caught on the fly at a lake in Johns Creek.

WINNER!

Ethan Box fishing Lake Eufaula with Capt Sam Williams.

Jessie Walton from Marietta with a 6 pounder fishing Lake Eufaula with Capt Sam Williams. Omari Leggett from Atlanta with a nice 5 pounder fishing Lake Eufaula with Capt Sam Williams.

Karla had a great day fishing Rainbow Point on the Soque with Unicoi Outfittersâ€™ manager Jake Darling. Her best fish was this hookjawed brown trout.

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DECEMBER 2020

NATIONAL 9

J.O. SPICE COMPANY CELEBRATES 75 YEARS AND 4 GENERATIONS

teamed blue crabs seasoned with J.O. No.2 or a custom blend that J.O. manufactures is the flavor people experience at crab establishments all over. Most people credit this crab house seasoning to another product but J.O. has been the crab houses’ seasoning of choice since 1945. J.O. Spice, started by J.O. (James Ozzle) Strigle and his wife Dot in Baltimore City in 1945, is celebrating its 75th Anniversary. A native of Tangier Island, Va., J.O. Strigle brought the seafood spice blend he created in his kitchen on the island to Maryland. Jane McPhaul, J.O.’s daughter took over operations of the family business in the late eighties while her son, Don Ports, was serving in the Marine Corps. In 1990 Don joined his mother in the family business with a vision to expand. In the summer of 1991 Don met his spice girl, Ginger, with the pick up line, “you’re destined to be mine; you’re named for a spice,” said J.O. Spice Company president Don Ports to wife Ginger Ports the moment they met. Twenty eight years later, Don and Ginger- alongside their children Brittany, Tyler and Bethany, are continuing the family traditions of quality seasonings, spices, and more at reasonable prices at their Halethorpe based J.O. Spice Company. “We can provide crab houses everything they need for the crab eating experience, minus the crabs”, Don says. The company added crab boxes, crab paper, bushel baskets, crab knives, crab mallets and a variety of other items to their offerings. “We purchased our first laser engraver and that opened the door to the retail gift world and personalized options,” Don says. J.O. specializes in custom blended seasonings for pizza companies, pit beef stands, butchers, potato chip companies and more. We are more than seafood seasonings. “My children, the fourth generation, and our amazing team work side-by-side to make all of this happen,” Ginger says. “At J.O., we are all family who enjoy working with so many other family businesses. We are blessed.” Please visit us at jospices.com.

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NATIONAL 13 7/14/20 4:22 PM

3-Ply D Face M Pack of

BLUE CAT CRUSHES GEORGIA RECORD

Florida man fishing Georgia’s Chattahoochee River caught a 110-pound, 6-ounce blue catfish Oct. 17. The monster blue cat crushed the existing state record by more than 17 pounds. Tim Trone, of Havana, Fla., was fishing the Chatt Kat tournament out of Florence Marina on the upper end of Lake Eufaula when he caught the monster fish. He had run way up the river south of Columbus, Ga., and dropped baits in about 50 feet of water when the giant catfish picked up a piece of cut bream Trone was using for bait. Surprisingly, the fish didn’t put up much of a fight. “I reeled it up like a 100-pound log,” Trone told a reporter from the Tallahassee Democrat. “It was just a little bump. It took about three minutes to reel it in.” Trone’s blue catfish bested the previous record of 93 pounds, which has stood since 2017. That fish was caught on the Altamaha River in southeast Georgia. The current IGFA all-tackle world record weighed 143 pounds. It was caught on Virginia’s Kerr Lake.

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